Swedesboro residents fed up with new electric poles

Swedesboro, NJ (WTXF) - By night they don't look like much, on the ground along Glen Echo Road in Swedesboro. However, when the sun comes up there's no missing the town's newest addition, dozens of huge electric poles as far as the eye can see here.

"They're big and ugly and they're an eyesore. They really are," Swedesboro homeowner Kathy Murray told FOX 29.

It's all in the name of progress with Atlantic Electric building a new substation a few miles away. The towering new poles are being installed to carry new electric lines to improve reliability and service to the area. There's only one problem, the people in historic Swedesboro, well they're not too happy about the big replacement poles. We spoke with mayor tom from by phone.

"As somebody is coming into town from the south that's the first view of Swedesboro and we're not real pleased with it," the mayor told FOX 29..

"At one point I called the police about it," said Shola Edepoju. He has a new pole on his property. He had four more stored there while they were being installed up and down the street.

"They talk to you about that. No. It was just done. This is what we're gonna do and it was done. I was very surprised," Edepoju said.

"More communication would have been a lot better," Murray added.

Swedesboro officials also got into some back and forth with Atlantic Electric over the poles set to be installed when you drive into town. The mayor was worried they'd block the view of this sign and the historic Trinity Episcopal church. Both sides now appear to have worked out a deal to move the poles.

"We take a lot of pride in the way our town looks," mayor from added. "We try to improve it, we try to maintain our historical character more than anything."

The mayor admits communication on the project could have been better on both sides. He says Swedesboro actually discussed taking legal action on the placement of some of the poles. Atlantic electric says the poles are necessary to carry the new and improved power lines. They will continue to work with Swedesboro officials as the project proceeds. It's slated to be complete later this year.